The idiom "put the cat among the pigeons" means to do or say something that causes a lot of trouble or chaos. It is used to describe a situation where someone does something that upsets or disturbs the status quo, causing a lot of confusion and disruption.
For example, if someone were to reveal a secret that could potentially cause a lot of problems, they would be "putting the cat among the pigeons." Similarly, if someone were to make a sudden and unexpected change to a well-established routine, they would also be "putting the cat among the pigeons."
The phrase comes from the idea of a cat being introduced into a flock of pigeons, causing them to scatter and fly in all directions. It is often used in situations where there is already tension or conflict, and the introduction of something new or unexpected only serves to make things worse.
In summary, "putting the cat among the pigeons" is an idiom that means to cause chaos or disruption by doing or saying something unexpected.
• The politician's controversial statement put the cat among the pigeons in the parliament.
• I didn't mean to put the cat among the pigeons by telling everyone that she was lying.
• Putting the cat among the pigeons by saying that the food is finished.
• The revelation of the company's financial scandal put the cat among the pigeons in the entire industry.
• The scientist's discovery of a new species put the cat among the pigeons in the scientific community.
• The boss's decision to fire the manager put the cat among the pigeons in the company.